December 2020 Newsletter
Dear Parents, Carers and Children,
This Christmas will be like no other but we are determined in school to retain our festive cheer and bring some joy over the coming weeks through the various activities children will be partaking in.
December Dates to Remember
Filming of Christmas productions.
When your child is filming their Christmas production they will need to come to school in their chosen costume to wear all day. The class teacher will send out a separate letter explaining which costume your child will need. If you have any problems sourcing the costume please let us know as we have some spares in school. We will not expect the children to go outside if it is too cold in their costumes.
- Y3/Y4 will be filming on Monday 7th December
- Nursery/Reception will be filming on Tuesday 8th December
- Y1/Y2 will be filming on Thursday 10th December
- Y5/Y6 will be filming on Friday 11th December
Christmas crafts will be handed out the week beginning 7th December.
All contributions towards the PTA must be made directly on Parent Pay. There will be separate sections on Parent Pay for each craft so we know who to give things to. All crafts must be paid for by 7th December and then they will be distributed throughout the week.
Crafts available to buy are:
- Reindeer hay £1.50
- Hot chocolate sets £1.50
- Your child’s class craft £1.50
- Professional laminated class photo 2020 £2
Thank you to you all for your kind donations. The proceeds of the fayre all go directly into improving resources for our children.
Final week of school:
Monday 14th December
Christmas plays, liturgies and Nativities will be sent home via your child’s google classroom.
Tuesday 15th December
The PTA have helped to arrange a virtual meeting with Santa. (As Santa is delivering presents on Christmas Eve he has been asked to isolate for 14 days before so he is available for a google meet) All classes will have the opportunity to meet Santa.
Wednesday 16th December
The children can wear Christmas jumpers to school. If you would like to contribute £1 to the PTA please use the link on ParentPay. We will also have Christmas lunch today and watch a Christmas film within their bubbles. If anyone who does not normally have school lunch would like a Christmas dinner please inform the school office.
Friday 18th December
Christmas Party Day – The children will celebrate within their own bubbles, a Christmas virtual quiz, Christmas games and Lots of crafts and activities. The children can wear party clothes on the last day of term.
CAUSE Hampers
All children will have received a CAUSE hamper in recent weeks. Thank you in advance for supporting our annual appeal to provide gifts for local families in need. Cause Hamper appeal presents must be returned to school for Friday 11th December to allow time to quarantine.
General
Attendance
Thank you for your commitment to your children’s attendance and punctuality across the school especially due to the current COVID pandemic. On the whole, our attendance rates have been excellent and as a result the children are again making strong progress following school closures.
We are currently in the process of evaluating attendance patterns as a school and with the Trust attendance team. Absence from school is monitored to identify pupils who may be vulnerable for welfare reasons or identified as not making progress in their learning. Where a child’s attendance has fallen below expectations we will issue an attendance letter. If an improvement is not evident then an attendance meeting may be convened or the matter may be referred to the local authority for consideration of the issue of a penalty notice.
Our full attendance policy can be accessed via the school website.
FSM
We are aware that people’s circumstances are constantly changing and as we approach Christmas please know we are here for you. Please, if you are struggling financially in any way, complete a FSM form (Free School Meals). The form is available via our website https://stbernadettes.npcat.org.uk or from the school office. Applications can be returned to the school email or via our general school enquiries: [email protected] If you would like to discuss this further or have any questions please contact Mr Conway or Miss Brady.
A reminder that the St Bernadette’s Parish SVP have provided school with emergency funds. We have vouchers in school available for any families (FSM or not) who are concerned about providing necessary provisions for their families. Please reach out if you are in need of any support financially and we will help immediately.
Social networks
Please can we remind you, as we approach our Christmas performances not to upload in-school photos/videos to your own personal social networks. We share photos/videos, with your permission, via Twitter or Google classroom.
Home learning
Thank you to our families of EYFS (Nursery and Reception) and Year 6 for supporting your children at home during their enforced period of isolation. The engagement in live lessons and Google classroom was nothing short of phenomenal. We are lucky to be supported by such committed parents. Your support will ensure the children can hit the ground running when they return on Tuesday 1st December.
Homework
Please continue to support us with your children’s homework…it makes such a difference! We appreciate the shift to Google Classroom has been a significant change to procedure so thank you for engaging so positively with this. It is essential all children can log on and access work.
To minimise disruption as a result of lost learning, please be reminded that any children who are unable to attend school as a result of COVID isolation must access COVID home learning made available by class teachers on a weekly basis via Google Classroom.
Please ask your child’s teacher or school office if you require support logging on.
Self-isolating
A reminder that should you or your child need to book a COVID test as a result of COVID symptoms the full family must self-isolate until results are back. Please inform school at every stage so appropriate steps can be taken/advice can be given.
After School Clubs
Unfortunately, at this stage as a result of the associated COVID risks we are not planning on beginning after school clubs in January. We will update you when we are able to begin after school clubs again.
Run for reading
Mrs Harris and Miss Cuff have been busily spending your kind donations from our Run for reading event in October. Miss Cuff has spent £1000 updating our KS2 accelerated reading resources and Mrs Harris spend £1422 on EYFS/KS1 individual reading books. Thank you – without your support, this would not be possible.
Music teacher
As you will be aware Mrs Beaumont has moved to be closer to family so is no longer able to support with our school music provision. Our Music curriculum has now resumed and is being led each Wednesday by Mrs Conway, a trained primary school practitioner and music specialist. We are confident our children will enjoy engaging again in small groups with this vital curriculum area.
November Events
Remembrance Liturgy
Each bubble lead Remembrance Liturgy on Wednesday 11th November. This was a reflective liturgy where we remembered those who had died in service. Hopefully you will have seen the montage of the liturgies via Twitter / our school website, ‘Collective Worship’ tab.
Children In Need
Our own clothes day raised over £263. This money has been sent directly to Children in Need. Thank you also to everyone who donated online.
Anti-bullying week
Thank you for supporting the national ‘odd sock’ anti bullying week. The children also received teacher and assembly inputs to focusing on our uniqueness and sharing kindness.
Parents Consultations
We hope you found this month’s parent consultations useful and informative. We included a summary report on how the children have returned to school as well as specific targets to support your children with at home.
Last week we issued a parental questionnaire. Thank you for the responses already. Please could all responses be received by Monday 7th December. All feedback will be shared in the new year.
Virtual visit/hangouts
It is not only isolating children who have enjoyed virtual hangouts recently…Y2 enjoyed a virtual trip around Captain Cook Monument and Y1 enjoyed a hangout with a friend of Miss Simpson who discussed ‘old toys’ as part of their topic work.
Our EYFS parents also had opportunity to witness the fabulous EYFS setting as part of our welcome events last month.
We usually welcome volunteers, parents and visitors into school regularly throughout the year, but as this is not possible at present, Miss Brady is also planning to share a whole school learning walk video with you to showcase our outstanding environment.
Letters to the elderly
Y1 and Y6 have been writing letters to the elderly at Oaks Residential home this month. These have been shared with the residents and the children really enjoyed a ‘real life’ purpose to their writing.
Videos
We have shared various videos in recent weeks (Harvest, Remembrance, Nursery Welcome liturgy) and will continue to do so via our website/your child’s Gmail. Please keep a look out for these so we can continue to share our worship and celebrations with you.
Upcoming events
Immunisations
The flu vaccine is being offered to all children (Reception-Year 6). You must consent via: www.hdft.nhs.uk/electronic-consent School Code: 142369. The last date of submission is 02/12/2020. If you do not have internet access please contact us on 0300 003 2554. Children will not be provided the immunisation without consent. Flu immunisations will take place at St.Bernadette’s on Tuesday 8th December 2020.
Reception applications
You can apply for a primary school reception place online. (The website is open for applications between 16 November 2020 and 15 January 2021)
Children who are due to start primary school reception class in September 2021 and who were born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017 should apply now!
Parents will be invited to submit their preferences for the primary school they’d like their child to attend.
Your child won’t automatically be given a school place; you have to apply. Please use the following link to make an online application: https://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/primary-school-admissions-reception-intake
Our indications based on Nursery numbers would predict there are a limited number of places still available so please spread the word and encourage family members/friends to apply.
PE kits / trainers
Please be aware that from January we will be asking children to wear PE kits again (Rec-Y6). PE kit consists of your child’s house colour, plain blue shorts, trainers (for outdoor use) and plimsolls (for indoor use) and a purple hoody/navy joggers. If you require any PE kit please place your order asap via our school website or order directly from Motiv8 https://www.motif8.co.uk/schoolwear/primary-schools/st-bernadette-s-primary.html
In line with wider Trust policy as a result of COVID, children will not get changed in school (except footwear if necessary) and will be asked to wear their PE kits in school all day on the days they have PE. PE will continue to be outside where possible so purple hoodies and navy jogging bottoms are recommended to keep them warm throughout the day. By sporting their hoodies the children will continue to look ‘smart as carrots!’
We will continue to allow children to wear trainers in the Spring term so there is no need to purchase additional shoes. We will confirm 2 days of PE prior to Christmas.
Emergency contact
Should anyone need to contact the school in an emergency at any time could we ask that you email Mr Conway using his school email address ([email protected]) or school mobile 07824998789.
And finally,
Christmas Gifts
May we take this opportunity to thank you for your support and respectfully ask that you be mindful of our Gifts policy in the lead up to the end of term – especially with current quarantine rules and financial pressures as a result of COVID. The Trust has a policy whereby gifts must be declared. As a staff, we feel very privileged to teach your children and your kind words and messages are more than enough thanks for the work we do.
Buddie Presents
For a number of years we have been discouraging children to purchase presents for their Y6-Reception buddies however it still happens – it is a lovely gesture but not all children receive gifts and particularly younger children can become upset if they do not receive a gift. Please can we encourage you to write cards to buddies rather than gifts this year.
Best wishes,
Mr. P. Conway Miss. S. Brady
Head Teacher Head of school
